Stretcher



Aug. 23,1927,

w. H. HEISE STRETCHER Filed May 9. 1925 a Sheets-Sheet 3 v I I VV/LLMM /1. H5155,

Patented Aug. 23, 1927'. Y 1,639,80i

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. HEISE, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

' v srmn'ronnn.

Application filed May 9, 1925. Serial No; 29,051.

This invention relates to a stretcher which tioned having an adjustable foot frame. is useful in undertaking establishments for This foot frame may be swung into a vertitransporting corpses and is useful in hospical position and serve to push and guide tals and the like, for carrying patients or the stretcher. It is sometimes convenient invalids. to push the stretcher along the floor. At no It is an object of my invention to provide such times, it would be desirable to swing a wheeled stretcher having an adjustable the foot frame into vertical position back or head frame. This back is pivotally Other objects and the salient advantages secured to the frame of the stretcher and of this invention. will be made manifest may be positioned at various inclinations so hereinafter. 65

that a person thereon may be comfortable. Referring to the two sheets of drawings It is another object of my invention to which are for illustrative purposes and in provide a ratchet and release arrangement which 1 show a preferred form of my infor releasably retaining the back in various vention,

5 positions. This ratchet arrangement com- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a stretcher 7o prises a ratchet plate which is secured to embodying the essential features of this the back and a resilient member. which is invention. carried by the frame of. the stretcher and Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary secwhich is in removable engagement with the tional view of the head end of the stretcher teeth of the ratchet plate. Attached tothis shown in Fig. 1, this view being taken 75 member is a releasing means by which the substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1. resilient member is removed from engage- Fig. 3 is an enlarged'fragmentary secment with the ratchet. The back may be tional view of the ratchet and releasing swung upwardly without manually removmechanism of my invention, this view being ing the pawl from engagement, but can be taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 80

lowered only by operating the resilient re- 2 1 taining member to remove it from engage- Fig. 4; is a bottom plan view of the ment with the ratchet plate. stretcher shown in Fig. 1.

A further object of my invention is to Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of provide a stretcher of the character men- Fig. 2. s5

tioned having a fabric carried by the frame, Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are fragmentary views which is removable. The fabric is provided illustrating the foot frameof my invention. with flaps which extend around the frame, The form of my invention shown in the which flaps are laced together on the under drawings comprises a main stretcher frame side. By removing the lacing the fabric 11 which is composed of side bars 12, a I

may be readily removed. The back or head head bar 18 which extends between the head frame is likewise provided with a removends of the side bars 12, being connected able sack or cover. This'feature is very dethereto by corner fittings 14, and a foot bar sirable as it will be possible to readily re- 16 which extends between the foot ends of 40 move the fabric and replace it by a clean the side bars 12, being connected thereto by fabric in event the first fabri becomes corner fittings 17. Extending downwardly soiled. from the head fittings 14 and the fittings It is an additional object of my invention 19 which are located in the side bars 12.. to provide astretcher which may be convennear the foot end thereof, are legs 20 to 5 iently carried. I provide a carrying frame which wheels 21 are secured. which is supported by a main frame of the As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the legs 20 stretcher at the head end thereof. This comprise'upper parts 23 which are secured carrying frame is slidably carried and when to the fittings lt or 19 and lower parts 24: it is desired to carry the stretcher, this which are secured to the upper parts 23 5 frame may be slid outwardly into such a by means of couplings 25. Bearings 26 of position that a person'may take hold of the wheel yokes 27 which support the wheels 21 carrying frame without any interference by extend into the lower ends of the lower v the head frame of the stretcher. parts 2 1 of the legs 20. Rods 29 extend up- It is also an object of this invention to. wardly from the bearing portions 26 ex- 55 provide a stretcher of the character men-- tending through washers 28 which are A fabric is stretched between theside v bars 12 and the head andfoot bars 13 and 16 of the main frame 11. As shown clearly in Fig. 4, the fabric 35 has Side flaps 36 wl iich-extend around the side bars 12, a, head flap 37 which extends around the head bar- 13 and a foot. flap 38 which extends around the foot bar 16. The flaps 3,6, 37 and 3 8 are provided with eyes 40 through which lacing 41 extends. The lacing is threaded through these eyes of the various flaps in the manner shown in Fig. 4. The lacing is extended around the side bars 12 at 41 to keep thefoot part of the fabric 35 from wrinkling. The mannerv of lac:

ing shown is very simple and the fabric. 35

may be readily removed from the framell when it becomes soiled.

Brackets 45, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 8, aresecurer l to the, side bars 12 near the head bar 13,. Brackets 45 provide lugs 46 around which there extend clevises 47 secured to the lower ends. ofa headframe 48. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the head frame 48 is made from a tubular .member which is bent into a substantial; U-shape as shown. The clevises 47 are secured to the legs 46 by bolts 50 which also extend through hubs 51 of ratchet plates 52, thus serving also to secure these parts of. the.

ratchet plates in place as well as serving as a pivot means for the head frame 48.

The ratchet plates 52 have blocks 54 formed near the upper end thereof, which blocks have channels 55 which engage the head frame 48. UL-bolts 56. are provided which extend around the frame 48 and extend through openings in the blocks 54, there being nuts, 58 screwed onto the legs of the U-bolt 56 for securing the upper parts, of the ratchet plates 52 to the head frame 48. The bolts 50 and the U-bolts 56 rigidly secure the ratchet plates 52 to.

the head frame 48. r

The head frame 48 is, provided with a cover in the form of a sack 59 which serves as a fabric for the head structure. This. sack 59 is removable and may be readily replaced.

lVith particular reference to. Figs. 2, 3 and 5, pawl ends 61 of a resilient member 62 extend so that they may engage ratchet teeth 63 of the ratchet plates 52. The resilient member 62 as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5, is secured to the inside of the head bar 13 by suitable rivets, or bolts, 64. The resilient member 62 has arms 65 which bow, as shown, and which are disposed so are made at. right angles to the pawls 61- and; the ratchets cannot move downwardly unless the pawls are entirely removed from engagen'ient therewith.

A. release cord 78. is attached near each end. of the arms 65 of the resilient member- 62, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. 'T his pull cord extends through diagonal openings 81 in the head bar.13, as shown in Fig. 3, and connectsto a pull cord 79-, the upper. endof the pull cord being. attached to the upper part of the head. frame 48 by a suitable clip 80.- As previously explained, the ratchet construction will allow the head structure to be movedupwardly, but--will prevent it from being moved downwardly unless the pawls- 61 are removed from engagementwith the ratchet teeth 63. To remove the pawls 61 from this engagement, the pull cord 79- is pulled upon, which pulls the arms 65 of the resilientmember 62 rearwardly by means of the pull cords 78, thus moving the pawls 61 rearwardl y out of engagement with theteeth 63 and allowing thehead' structure'to be lowered-into any desired position. The pawls 61 ride rearwardl-y on the side bars 12-.

Vertical permanent legs 84 and 85 extend upfrom the-corner fixtures 17 (Fig. 1), the leg 84 beingslightly longer than'the leg 85.- The leg- 84'is cut away at-86,-as shown clearly in- Fig. 8. A pin 87C21l'1l6'illl1'1 the upper end-of the leg-84 extends throi-igh'a slot 88 formed 1*I1-2L foot frame cross bar 90.

The other endof the crossbar 96 has a fix-- time 91 whichattaches a slide leg 92 thereto. WVhe'n the cross bar is in horizontal position the pin 87' rests in the outer end of the slot 88 and theslid'e 92 rests in the leg 85. The

slide may be retained in the leg by a cotter lie cross bar is then telescoped inside the leg 84 as in-Figr7, this holding itin vertical position. The slide leg 92 provides a convenient expedient for pushing and guiding the stretcher.

As shown in Fig. 3, slide bars 95 of a carrying frame 96 extend into the head ends of the side bars 12. The slide bars 95 are connected to a transverse bar 97 by carrying frame fixtures 98. On nipples 99 which may be considered parts of the side bars 12 and which extend outwardly from the fixtures 14 are placed split slide retaining collars 100 which are secured in place by bolts 102. These collars 100 have annular lips 103 which provide openings 104 which are substantially the same size as the slide bars 95. Heads 106 are formed on the inner ends of the slide bars 95, these heads being of a larger size than the openings 104 in the slide collars 100. The carrying frame 96 may be pulled outwardly relative to the main frame 11 until the heads 106 engage the lips 103. hen the stretcher is carried, the carrying frame 96 is moved from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, into extended position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The transverse bar 97 is then in such a position that it may be readily engaged by an attendant. It is obvious that it would be very inconvenient to grab the head bar 13 because of the head structure. By providing a carrying frame which may be extended, it is very c0nvenient to engage and carry the stretcher. The foot end may be readily lifted by the footends of the side bars 12.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that my invention provides a stretcher which is very favorable for use in conveying invalids. It is of such a character that it will give a maximum of comfort. The head structure may be adjusted to any position to meet exigencies. The fabrics 35 and 59, as previously described, are readily removable from the frames 11 and 48, and, therefore, when they become soiled may be readily replaced. The adjustable foot frame and the slidable carrying frame provide convenient means for pushing and carrying the stretcher.

I claim as my invention:

1. A stretcher comprising: a wheeled frame lying substantially in a horizontal plane; and a foot frame mounted upon the foot of said wheeled frame, said foot frame including a member normally disposed horizontally and pivoted at one end to swing in to substantially vertical position for use as a stretcher guiding post.

2. A stretcher comprising: a wheeled frame having side bars connected by head and foot bars; short posts formed upon said frame at the juncture of said side bars with said foot bar and disposed upwardly therefrom; and a foot rail mounted upon the upper ends of said posts so as to be swingable to form an upward vertical extension upon one of said posts.

3. A stretcher comprising: a wheeled frame having side bars connected by head and foot bars; short hollow posts formed upon said frame at the juncture of said side bars with said foot bar and disposed upwardly therefrom; one of said posts being a pivoting post and having a side opening formed therein connecting with the upper mouth thereof and facing the opposite post; a foot rail having a slot provided longitudinally in an end thereof, said end being adapted to be disposed through said side opening in said pivoting post; and a pin passing through the upper end of said pivoting post and through the slot in said foot rail, so that said foot rail may be pivoted upwardly and slid down wardly into said pivoting post in upright position.

4:. A stretcher 7 comprising: a wheeled frame having side bars connected by head. and foot bars; short hollow posts formed upon said frame at the juncture of said side bars with said foot bar and disposed upwardly therefrom; one of said posts being a pivoting post and having a side opening formed therein connecting with the upper mouth thereof and facing the opposite post; a foot rail having a slot provided longitudinally in an end thereof, said end being adapted to be disposed through said side opening in said pivoting post; and a pin passing through the upper end of said pivoting post and through the slot in said foot rail, so that said foot rail may be pivoted upwardly and slid downwardly into said pivoting post in upright position; and means for securing the free end of said foot rail to said opposite post when said foot rail is in horizontal position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 1st day of May, 1925.

WILLIAM H. HEISE. 

